Jedi
by Kerayzie
Summary: 10 years after the destruction of the Death Star the New Jedi Order are made aware of a shift in The Force. Plagued by nightmares of her past a young, inexperienced and unbalanced Jedi is forced to train under the watchful eye of the New Order's leader Luke Skywalker. Can Luke bring balance to his apprentice before a faceless enemy strikes? NON CANON Distressing themes
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER:**

I do NOT own any characters or trademarks from Star Wars, Disney or Lucasfilm. I am in NO way affiliated with any of these parties.

 **JEDI**

Chapter One

Holding her hands firmly to her ears she squeezed her eyes closed and screamed. The guttural cry burst from her throat like a demon unleashed, forcing tears from her eyes as it echoed around her. As the desperation subsided she breathed deeply and dared herself to look at the devastation around her. Even in the half-light she could see the lifeless bodies of her family strewn across the room, carelessly discarded like broken toys. Blood replaced the ornate murals her mother had painstakingly painted on the walls. The large cooking pot had fallen from its place above the central fire, shattering as it had hit the rocks surrounding the flames. The sight of her little brother crumpled in the corner still holding his wooden Starfighter that Father had made brought her to her knees. His face was pale even in the light of the fire. Crawling to him she pulled him up to her chest, weeping heavily. His eyes were empty. Where green had shone brightly before there was no longer any life. Pulling his little body closer to her chest she rocked back and forth willing the Universe to trade her places with him. Tears rolled down her face falling onto him leaving small pools in his hair as her heart broke into a thousand pieces.

A firm hand on her shoulder roused her from her memories and she suddenly became aware that all eyes were on her. All eyes with the exception of the Jedi Master speaking. He continued to speak about the Kyber Crystals embedded in the rock before them. Lifting his palm from her shoulder he moved away urging the other students to follow him. Lowering her head to avoid the curious stares of her peers she followed slowly. She had seen and handled Kyber Crystals before but today was different. Today she was expected to find one that 'spoke' to her and use it to build her own functioning lightsaber. She had dreaded this day. So many times she had feared coming here to find her crystal. Before getting to this point they had all been taught about how powerful the crystals were and how they were attuned to The Force. This made her uneasy. What if she made a mistake? What if she got it wrong?

She had spent years watching other students surpass her and move on to become gifted apprentices but she had stayed behind. She hadn't wanted to move on from the basics. With each new class had come more gifted Force Wielders. They were gifted and eager, she was not. She was afraid of The Force, she had witnessed what it could do. She had been brought to the academy of the New Jedi Order from another system after her village was decimated during the civil war on her planet. She had been rescued by the Order and had lived alongside the Masters for almost 5 years now. She should have been a Knight by now as her tutors kept reminding her, but she was too inexperienced. Her fear of The Force was holding her back and she was well aware of that. Even so she followed the Master and her peers further into the cave.

As the Master came to a halt he motioned for the students to begin searching for crystals. There were plenty to collect but Alarah knew it was not that simple. Finding your crystal was slightly more complicated than just picking one from the ground. In truth you didn't choose the crystal, the crystal chose you. If a crystal 'spoke' to you you were expected to know. Previous lessons had taught her time and time again that the crystals were not mere inanimate objects. They existed in their own right and were in tune with The Force meaning that they were each unique. Allegedly they could 'speak' with one another and interact although Alarah was unsure if that was a proven fact. Never the less the need to rely on The Force to find the crystal intended for you worried her. 3 years she had managed to delay this trip but now here she was, standing in the rocky cave surrounded by glittering shards on all sides.

Daylight from the outside caught the crystals making them shine like eyes in the darkness of the cave reminding her that she was constantly under surveillance. Slowly she moved deeper into the cavern. She passed most of the group as they scrambled around chattering away to one another excitedly about which parts they were going to use for their Saber hilts. As she neared the last two students she stopped. She had never been here before, only read the salvaged journals of old Jedi, but she turned slowly to her left to face a seemingly bare rock face. Moving towards the cave wall she noted how sparse the crystals were here. She glanced at the other students busy filling their pouches with shards. Running her hand over the rocks she dislodged a seemingly large crystal and held it between her thumb and forefinger, turning it in the light. It was strangely beautiful. Not quite clear but never the less transparent. Past her fingers she saw the Master silhouetted against the mouth of the cave. He was watching her carefully. Aware the other students were collecting numerous rocks she quickly placed the stone into her pouch and began to pick at the loose stones wedged in the crevices back towards the light. The Master called for the group to wait outside the cave once they felt they were satisfied with their stones and one by one her fellow students left until there was only herself and one other in the near-darkness. She counted the stones in her pouch. 5. that was nowhere near the number her peers had been collecting in their eagerness. Even so she wanted nothing more than to get out of this cave and back to the Academy. She did not feel comfortable here and she began back towards the group.

"Are you satisfied?" the Master spoke softly.

"Yes," she nodded.

The last student ran past her and the group started back towards the Star Cruiser but she could not move. Her feet seemed to be part of the ground beneath her, as though she were literally rooted to the spot. Something wasn't right, she couldn't leave. The Master turned back towards her. His mouth uttered no words but his eyes spoke volumes. He knew why she couldn't leave. Breathing deeply she closed her eyes briefly before turning back to the sparse rock face. There wasn't much there to choose from and her eyes examined each visible crystal searching for the reason for her inability to exit the cave.

"Do not try to find it," the Master called. "Let The Force guide you."

She didn't want to let The Force guide her. She didn't trust The Force. She couldn't, she was afraid. Willing herself to move she turned back to her tutor. As she stepped towards him her boot caught on a rock and she tripped, falling to her knees in the dirt. Pain shot into her right wrist as she broke her fall with her hands. Sitting back on her heels she lifted her palms to inspect them. There, embedded in the soft flesh of her hand, was a crystal. She pulled it slowly from the wound and looked at it. It was almost flawless, and it was comfortingly warm.

The Master left and she quickly picked herself up to follow him, gripping the flawless crystal tightly.

* * *

"Line your stones in front of you,"

The other students quickly began pushing their crystal hauls around the tables before them. They were buzzing with excitement. Each individual had spent the last 4 days carefully piecing together their own Saber hilt and now it was time to place their crystals into them.

Alarah was less than enthusiastic. Since leaving Ilum she had been having the worst nightmares and the past 4 days had been hard work. She had chosen parts she liked and created what she thought was a fairly stylish hilt but looking around at the other students she was no longer so sure. They had all chosen more ornate fixtures compared to hers. Her anxiety was getting the better of her and she knew she had purposely refrained from adding adornments in the event something went wrong. She was convinced that she would make a mistake, that her crystal would be faulty in some way, that The Force had misled her.

She tipped the 6 crystals onto her desk and spread them apart. They were all fairly similar. All had the 'not quite clear' transparency with the single exception of the one she had pulled from her palm. That stone was perfectly clear. Now she had the opportunity to examine it in the light she saw there was one imperfection running along one side of it. A small vein of what appeared to be rock ran through the crystal along one of the narrower edges.

"I will show you how to remove that without damaging the Kyber itself," the Master smiled as she turned the stone in her fingers. "It is a beautiful shard."

Alarah placed the crystal back down before examining all the others. Each one was beautiful in its own way but not one of them evoked the feeling the first stone did. Closing her eyes she mixed the stones and re-examined them. Again the crystal from her wound seemed to stand out. Something about it seemed familiar. Like an old friend she hadn't seen in years or a beloved childhood memory. She watched intently as the Master instructed the group how to clean and improve their crystals. She followed the instructions slowly, gently working away at the Kyber until the small vein of rock had been cut away. The crystal was not much smaller now but was slightly concave on one side. She ran her thumb over the newly exposed surface, turning it in the light.

"If you are confident," the Master spoke to the class, "place your Kyber Crystal into the chamber of your Saber hilt and seal it. Do not ignite the Saber."

One by one the other students did as they were instructed and Alarah followed suit. This was the furthest she had ever come since beginning her training at the Praxeum. Since the attack on her village had destroyed all faith she had in The Force she had done all that she could to not progress. Regardless of being told repeatedly that she could learn to use her own sensitivity to The Force for good her past experiences with Force Wielders had destroyed her confidence. She had always been gifted, as had her younger brother. Whether it be premonitions or the ability to speak to one another without using words they had never felt threatened by their gifts. Not until the village was attacked did she fear The Force and the destruction it could bring. Not until her own gift was rendered useless did she lose faith in herself. Now here she was alone in the Universe, part of the New Jedi Order, building her own lightsaber.

She had not chosen to join the Order. Far from it. After news of the civil war on her home planet had reached the remaining Jedi they had dispatched Knights to help bring peace back to her people but they had arrived too late. The planet was devastated by war, whole villages slaughtered on both sides. Men, women and children had been murdered all in the name of The Force. The destruction of the Death Stars in nearby galaxies had shifted the balance between the Light and Dark and many people had begun to panic. Her planet had not been the only one to revolt against the seemingly dying Empire but it had been one of the few to slaughter its own people in the process. Few people had survived the war by the time the Jedi Knights had arrived and those who had were either too traumatised to keep living or were to young to understand. Alarah had fit somewhere in between. She was barely into her teens when she was rescued; all she had known was war. Traumatised, it had taken her a while to trust the Knights who found her but somehow they had convinced her to leave with them and take refuge at the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4.

In her time here she had seen the numbers of Jedi-in-training grow. In the beginning there had been very few new students but slowly the numbers had doubled and doubled again. There were probably almost 50 Jedi at the base now counting the Masters, Knights and students alike. Many of the Knights were off base, elsewhere in the galaxy trying to bring some kind of peace to the people spread throughout the cosmos but a few had remained to teach the newer recruits. Until now there had been little need for the Knights to spend much time off base however recently there had been talk of a new threat to the galaxy and their numbers were slowly dropping. Small groups of Knights would leave on missions for only a couple to return. The Masters had been forced to push the recruits harder, faster. They had pushed her harder giving her no choice but to comply.

With trembling hands Alarah firmly closed the chamber in her Saber, listening for the distinctive click as the lock engaged, and placed the weapon carefully on the desk. Staring at the black and chrome hilt she waited for the Master to assess each and every Saber before replacing them before their respective creators.

"A nice weight," he remarked as he took her Saber in his hand. Turning it carefully he checked the seals and placed it back on the desk, his hand lingering for a moment. "I like the black. It's different. Distinctive."

She smiled, "Thank you Master."

"Ok," he turned back to the group, "Bring your Sabers and follow me."

He led them into the main training area, a large hangar-like room built into the rock of the mountain. It was the upper most level of the old Rebel Base and was often used for combat training.

Motioning for the group to spread out in front of him the Master began to explain the possibilities of misfiring Sabers and incompatible crystals. A list of warnings and instructions followed before one by one he instructed the training Jedi to step forward and ignite their Sabers. Although the Kyber Crystals had no colour themselves each one would channel the power of the laser into a controlled beam of coloured light. At least this was the plan. Because the crystals had 'chosen' their keepers the theory was that each one would probably burn a different colour regardless of the laser in the housing.

One by one the group ignited their new weapons. Blue, purple, blue, light green, white, blue again...The Master began to explain the differences in the colours, not that it made much difference. He told them how before the rise of The Empire Padawans would face great tests before creating their lightsabers. That their ability to pass these tests forged unique relationships between the crystals and their keepers. These relationships, amplified by The Force, had an affect on the evolution of the stones and in turn their colour. He went on to point out that with the increasing tension in the galaxy and the unexpected shift in The Force the Order had been forced to progress far quicker than in the past. There was no longer the time or opportunity for Padawans to tackle large quests and that many crystals would fracture in the chamber as a result, creating an unstable and volatile Saber. So far all but one of the lightsabers had ignited safely. The one that had failed belonged to a young Nautolan and had sparked wildly before the laser cut out.

Now it was her turn. Stepping forward Alarah tried to steady her hand as she raised her Saber in front of her. Closing her eyes briefly she took a deep breath before igniting the laser. She was sure her Saber would spark and fail like that of the Nautolan but instead she heard the distinctive kick of the laser as it hit the Kyber Crystal followed immediately by the steady hum of a stable beam. The excited chattering of her fellow students fell silent and she quickly became aware that everyone was looking at her. Opening her eyes she stood motionless staring at the uniform blade of energy buzzing before her.

"What did I do wrong?" she whispered, barely able to speak.

"Nothing," the Master reassured her, the tone of his voice betraying his words as he rounded her. Never taking his eyes from the blade he instructed the rest of the group to leave before continuing. "Come with me."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"Where are we going?" Alarah questioned the Jedi Master as he led her out of the Praxeum and into the forest.

"Somewhere we can speak undisturbed,"

Following closely she lowered her gaze to the moss covered stones beneath her feet, ignoring the dappled sunlight as it shone through the trees either side of them. She knew what was coming. She was going to be reprimanded for her Lightsaber. Why else would he bring her this far from the other students? Her Saber was not normal...not like the others. Her blade was not bright like everybody else's. In fact her blade was quite the opposite.

"Stop here," the Master motioned for her to stand before him. "Take your weapon."

Breathing deeply Alarah did as she was instructed and unclipped the Lightsaber from her belt, her pale skin a stark contrast to the black metal of the hilt.

"Ignite it,"

Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes briefly before obeying him. The familiar kick of energy as the laser burst through the crystal cut through the serenity of the glade as she stood, arm outstretched, staring at the slender beam before her. The beam emitted from the Saber was strange, unlike anything she had seen before. Instead of burning brightly the blade was in fact completely devoid of colour. The core 'burned' black, so black that the more she looked at it the more Alarah noticed how it seemed to draw in the light from around it. It appeared to be _consuming_ the light.

She turned her attention to her tutor's face. Although very little expression ever showed on the man's face his eyes suddenly seemed to be alive with curiosity. Somewhere behind the dark irises a spark had ignited. A spark of interest different to any other. It was as though a long dead love had been awakened in him. He eyed the blade carefully as though he was trying to put a name to a face.

"Why is it like that?" Alarah finally spoke.

"It just is," he answered flatly. Collecting his thoughts quickly he looked directly into the lilac of her eyes. "I know what you are thinking and you are wrong. Do not be afraid of what you do not understand. If we were meant to understand everything we would have no purpose for living."

"But how can it be black? A Lightsaber by definition projects light. There is no such thing as 'black' light. It makes no sense," she shook her head.

"On the contrary, it makes perfect sense," he turned away momentarily. "The weapon you have created is indeed a Lightsaber. It is absolutely perfect and holds incredible power. There has only ever been one other like it."

Lowering her weapon Alarah noted the acute whistle is made as it sliced through the air. It was like nothing she had ever seen or heard before. Yet, here was her Master telling her it was not the first of it's kind. She wasn't entirely convinced he was being completely honest with her but he was persistent in telling her that she had done nothing wrong and was not to worry.

"When I was an apprentice, before the Empire drove the last few Jedi into hiding, there were stories of a weapon just like this one: The Darksaber," he paused as though trying to recall a distant memory. "The Darksaber was created by a Mandalorian named Tarre Vizsla over a thousand years ago. It was reportedly held by only the head of the House of Vizsla on Mandalore."

"Mandalorian? Aren't they Bounty Hunters?"

"Not all. Before Tarre was the head of the House of Vizsla Mandalore was a very violent place. Mandalorians were feared throughout the galaxy and further. Their reputation preceded them as merciless thugs who would do anything to get what they wanted. The House of Vizsla brought about important change on the planet. Tarre became the first Mandalorian to join the Jedi Order and after his death the Darksaber was kept in the first Jedi Temple. Over the following centuries Mandalore descended into civil war between the True Mandalorians who ruled the planet in peace, and amongst others a splinter group calling themselves The Death Watch who opposed the more modern, pacifist government. A lot happened but ultimately the Death Watch stole the Darksaber from the Jedi Temple and it was returned to the House of Vizsla, who by then were leading the Death Watch. The civil war lasted centuries and even to this day there is unrest."

Alarah extinguished the beam and turned the hilt over in her hand. This couldn't possibly be the same weapon, she had collected the crystal herself. She had fashioned it herself. It was _hers_. The Kyber Crystal that had called to her had been rough in the ground, not smooth as an existing weapon would have.

"Legend says the Darksaber was the most powerful Lightsaber created and that it saw the demise of many Jedi,"

"I don't want it!" she thrust the weapon towards him. If it truly was so dangerous she wanted nothing to do with it. She had enough trouble trying to use the Force without taking responsibility for 'the most dangerous Lightsaber created'.

"The Force led you to this," he reassured her. "The crystal was always meant for you. This weapon was destined for you, and you for it. Do not fear it. Fear is the beginning of the path to the Dark Side. Your weapon is an extension of yourself, it is part of you and thus you must learn to use it effectively. I can no longer train you...you need more than I can give. Prepare your things, tomorrow you will travel to Coruscant."

With this he left her standing alone in the clearing. Watching him walk away from her the young Jedi sighed heavily. Why was she being sent to Coruscant? If she had indeed done nothing wrong then why was she being sent away from the Praxeum? And why to the Headquarters of the Order? She assumed that was where she was being sent. If there was truly nothing to worry about then why did she have this hollow feeling in her stomach? Never the less she knew had no choice, arrangements were probably already being made and she was expected to follow her instructions to prepare for her journey. Clipping her Lightsaber to her belt she slowly made her way back into the temple and headed towards the shared sleeping quarters. She didn't have many possessions but she did not want to leave anything behind.

Pulling the sheets from around her Alarah tossed in her bunk. Her sleep was disturbed by the usual unsettling memories of her family on Besthra and she awoke sweaty and cold in the darkness. Pressing her palm to her forehead she breathed deeply. All these years and still her dreams were as vivid as the night she had left her home planet.

Sliding her legs over the side of the bed she pressed her feet to the hard floor. Sitting hunched over herself, trying to clear her mind of the picture of her younger brother's lifeless body

she ran her slender fingers through her long, pale hair. Slowly she stood up stretching her back as she did so. Silently making her way between the beds she looked at her sleeping peers, each one laid contentedly in their bunk. She almost wished she could sleep like that; contentedly. Almost. She knew that if she did not dream of her family she would very likely forget them completely. She was not willing to do that so for the time being at least she had resigned herself to sacrifice her sleep to keep her memories alive.

A strange feeling of discontent washed over her. The hairs on the back of her pale neck seemed to stand on end and she began to feel slightly claustrophobic. It felt as though the air around her had begun to change density. It felt strangely heavy. Standing perfectly still she surveyed the darkened room with her hyper-sensitive eyes. Her home planet of Besthra spent most of its cycles in almost near darkness, thus the Besthran's eyes had evolved to function in extremely low light. Some of the older generations had very little pigment in their eyes, or skin for that matter, and their ability to see in the darkness was almost unparalleled in this galaxy. Alarah's lilac eyes were a direct result of her life away from Besthra however her ability to see in the darkness was unaffected. Looking around the dormitory she listened carefully. The rhythmic breathing of her fellow students filled the room along with the occasional creaking of a mattress as weight shifted upon it. Assessing the sleeping students she continued to the bathroom before returning to her bunk with a mug of water. Placing her drink on the floor she lay back down, staring across the aisle to the next bunk.

Pulling the sheets back up over her shoulders the young padawan became increasingly aware that the temperature in the room was dropping quickly. Noting the sight of her own breath before her she felt under the mattress for her Lightsaber. Something was not right. The back of her skull felt increasingly tight and the atmosphere in the dormitory had changed. She listened. Nothing out of the ordinary. Pulling her weapon to her torso she rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. She listened again. What was that? Under the familiar breathing and gentle snoring there was another, unfamiliar sound. If she hadn't felt so odd she would have probably never have noticed this new sound. There it was again. Movement. The sound was so tiny that for a moment Alarah thought perhaps she had imagined it. She would have been satisfied with her conclusion had she not seen, in her peripheral vision, a dark mass standing against the far wall.

Fixing her gaze to the ceiling Alarah steadied her breathing as the shadow moved almost silently between the beds. There were no windows in the dormitory and she was sure the visitor believed they were hidden in the perfect darkness. They had not counted on a Besthran being present, or awake. Tracking the shadowy figure as it moved closer the young padawan gripped her saber tightly. She could feel her pulse hard in her chest but tried to clear her mind of thought. Memories of her final night with her family would do her no good now.

As the figure stopped at the adjacent bed Alarah noted the muted gleam of metal beneath cloth as the intruder stooped to check the sleeping figure before moving to stand beside her. Lowering her eyelids Alarah peered through her lashes at the armoured figure standing over her. She could see him quite clearly in the darkness. A battle-scarred face stared down at her, the eyes covered with surveillance goggles. A bounty hunter. Tightening her grip on the Lightsaber Alarah waited, her thumb hovering over the ignition button. Slowly the figure leaned over her seemingly searching for something. As the body shifted position she noted the elongated, tusked skull emblazoned on his armour.

A massive tremor shook through the Praxeum, knocking the bounty hunter off balance and waking the sleeping padawans. Taking advantage of the situation Alarah leapt up from her bunk and pinned the intruder to the floor, pressing the open end of her Saber to his temple.

"Who sent you?" she hissed as her peers grabbed their weapons and ran out into the hallway.

"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" the yells echoed through the Praxeum accompanied by laser fire and explosions. Quickly assessing her situation Alarah hit the intruder hard in the back of the skull, rendering him unconscious before running to assist her fellow students in their efforts to defend the base.

Making her way up through the temple Alarah ran towards the laser fire and out into the forest. Most of the upper floors had been destroyed in the explosions and she had wondered how the structure had remained upright. Entire walls were missing and many vehicles were ablaze. There didn't seem to be any way to escape. The fire had spread from the old star fighters and convoy ships to the trees and the sky burned orange with the flames. She watched as more attackers descended from large vessels passing overhead. How could they fight these soldiers? Each one appeared to be armoured and weaponised. All the Jedi had were their Lightsabers and the majority of the students were less than skilled at using them effectively. In amongst the chaos Alarah saw her Master take down three or four infiltrators before being gunned down. As he fell to the stoned floor he turned towards her, their eyes meeting briefly as his lips silently said, "Go."

Clutching her Lightsaber she turned towards the darkness of the forest and ran. The feeling in the base of her skull had been replaced by a sudden fear. She had been here before, in this situation. The memories of her final night on Besthra flooded her mind as her feet carried far into the trees. Images of her friends being gunned down in the village, the harsh screams of the children as they were slaughtered in their beds clouded her mind and she became aware that she was lost. Stopping in her tracks she turned to try and find her bearings. Her heart was beating hard inside her ribcage and her head was fuzzy from the flashback. She did not recognise these trees. She had never been this far into the forest. Her nostrils were filled with the smell of burning wood and she could still hear the sounds of the battle in the distance but she could not see where the temple was. She had no idea how far she had run or in which direction she had travelled. Even if she could work out where she was what was she supposed to do? It had been quite apparent there were more attackers than there were Jedi on the base. All the transport had been destroyed and she had been told to go by her master. She could only assume that he was dead now. If he was one with the Force then what were chances of the apprentices surviving the assault? And why had she been told to run? Was she really such a risk to the Jedi that they would rather her run away than stand and fight alongside them? She couldn't even retrace her steps to go back and fight. She was well and truly lost.

Standing for a moment she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end once more. She was not alone. Trying to tune out the ongoing battle she listened to the forest. Somebody was following her in the shadows, their footsteps deliberately quiet. Turning quickly she eyed the trees. A flash of moonlight across a breastplate betrayed her stalker and she started to back away.

"I see you," she called, igniting her Saber.

The armoured man emerged from the trees slowly approaching her.

"Give me the weapon," he demanded from behind his expressionless mask. His armour bore the same tusked skull as the bounty hunter in the dormitory. He repeated himself firmly, "Give me the Darksaber Jedi."

"What?" she breathed. He thought her weapon was the lost Darksaber. How could he even know about her weapon? Was that why they were here? She had only created the Saber the previous day, how could anyone know about it? It didn't make any sense. "No," she said curtly.

Advancing quickly the Bounty Hunter raised his blaster and fired forcing Alarah to react instinctively to defend herself. As she tried to raise her Saber to intercept the blast fear gripped her tightly and she stood rooted to the spot. Closing her eyes she awaited the inevitable searing pain of the laser as it hit her body. She heard her Lightsaber cutting through the cool air and opened her eyes expecting to see her blade before her but it was not there, it was still at her side buzzing intently.

Standing before her, between herself and the Bounty Hunter, was an unfamiliar Jedi. His Lightsaber moved swiftly through the air cutting the soldier down almost silently, its bright green blade illuminating the trees as his lifeless body slumped to the ground.

"Are you ok?" the Jedi spoke softly to her, his voice smooth and reassuring. Turning to face her he quickly noted the black bladed Saber in her hand before repeating himself. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah," she nodded quickly.

"You can turn that off," he nodded towards her Lightsaber. She did as she was instructed and clipped the weapon to her belt. Peering over his shoulder the dark-clad Jedi seemed distracted for a moment before turning his attention back towards her. "We have to go, more are coming."

"They destroyed all the transport, there's nowhere to go," Alarah protested.

"You must trust me," he spoke plainly before taking her hand and leading her further into the forest. "We must move quickly. They are not going to stop until they have the Sister Saber."

"The what?"

"Go!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Staring out at the rain Alarah pulled her knees to her chest. She had no idea where in the galaxy they were but she knew it was wet. Their escape from Yavin 4 had been somewhat chaotic and only after they had jumped to Hyperspace and entered a new system had her companion informed her that they would not be returning.

"You're wondering about the Mandelorians," her rescuer interrupted her train of thought. She turned to face him. "You're right to think they are mistaken," he continued. "I know the thought has crossed your mind but you know you do not possess the Darksaber."

"Why did they attack like that if they only wanted my weapon?" she frowned. She knew Mandelorians had a reputation but the ferocity with which they had assaulted the Praxeum seemed somewhat extreme, even for them.

"They didn't," he paused. "The remnants of the Empire have been searching for the training facilities of the Order for years. It was only a matter of time before they revisited the Yavin system."

Staring at her feet the young Padawan sighed. So much had happened in the last day she could not quite get her bearings; she felt lost. Since being rescued by the New Jedi Order she had not left the Praxeum without her peers and Master and now she was here on a planet she did not know in a system she had never heard of with a Jedi she was not familiar with. She had no idea what she was supposed to do. Should she travel to Coruscant as her Master had informed her? Or should she continue to travel with this unfamiliar Jedi to wherever he was headed?

Sensing her dilemma the stranger spoke, "We cannot travel to Coruscant. They will know to look for you there."

"But I was instructed to meet my new tutor there,"

"I know," he turned away from her and stared out of the cave. "Try and sleep, we begin your training at dawn."

* * *

In the days and weeks that followed her new tutor tested her in numerous ways. Having brought no food with them Alarah found herself being instructed to climb trees and forage through the undergrowth for fruits and plant life they may eat. Occasionally she would be asked to move seemingly immovable objects such as boulders or fallen trees. These were exercises she should have completed years ago at the Praxeum; telekinesis was a basic Force skill. Of course Alarah was more than aware of how to move objects using only The Force...she had used the skill without conscious thought from a very young age but still she hated this training. Previous tutors had quickly given up encouraging her to hone her skills but this new tutor was relentless. He simply would not accept 'no' as an answer. He was working her hard, constantly. There seemed to be no rest. Even during the night she struggled to sleep, not only because of her recurring dreams but the driving rain was hard to ignore. Some nights it would rain from dusk until dawn and at times the rain would not stop for days. Alarah was tired. Her body ached and her mind was exhausted from the constant Force training. She did not remember it being so difficult as a child.

"When are we leaving this place?" she sighed as she raised yet another boulder, rain stinging her eyes.

"Soon," he replied. "Hold it there."

"Hold it?"

"Yes," he replied coolly. "Concentrate."

"I am," she breathed.

"Who are you?" he asked softly. The question took her by suprise and she lost her concentration sending the boulder crashing into the swamp. "Return it to the shore."

"Return it? It's in the water, I can't even see it,"

"You don't need to see it to know that it is there. Return it to the shore," he motioned to the murky water.

Alarah breathed deeply. Clearing her mind she closed her eyes and began to imagine the world beneath the surface of the water. Allowing her imagination to to drift through the weed filled swamp floor she searched for the boulder. As she allowed her mind to drift she suddenly felt paranoid. They were not alone. She opened her eyes to see him standing immediately in front of her staring at her face. His eyes were fixed to hers and he nodded very slowly. He could feel their guest's presence as she could.

"Centre yourself and raise it," he instructed again before lowering his voice to a whisper. "Do not move."

Alarah did as she was told. Again she 'searched' for the boulder in the water and focused her attention on trying to raise it. As the surface of the water broke she felt movement behind her. Somewhere in the trees a number of bodies were approaching them. Her companion had since disappeared and she became increasingly aware that she was bait. Slowly the boulder emerged and she directed it back to the shore before holding it in mid air as he had previously instructed her.

"Drop the rock!" a synthesised voice commanded as a small troop of 5 mercenaries stepped out of the trees around her. She was surrounded.

"I can't," she lied as she felt the cold metal of a blaster pressed to her spine. "Please don't do that."

"Put it down!" the first mercenary repeated.

"I already told you I can't!"

Suddenly 3 of the group were raised from the ground and suspended in mid-air. Struggling with their lack of control they thrashed about trying desperately to return to solid ground.

"Put them down!" the second troop ordered thrusting the blaster into her back once more.

"I can't do that,"

"Now!"

"No. What part of 'I can't' do you not understand?" her heart began to race as she desperately tried to keep control of the boulder suspended between her and the first mercenary. Her skin began to tingle as she felt The Force moving through her. She did not like this feeling. This feeling was bad.

Closing her eyes she tried to recentre herself but the pressure in the back of her skull took over and she felt herself panic. She lost control and suddenly the boulder shattered into hundreds of pieces catapulting shrapnel in every direction. As she hit the ground she watched the mercenaries each fall to the floor. Three were dead before they hit the ground as shards of rock had penetrated their helmets, the remaining two crawled to safety only to be met by her Jedi companion. Both troops tried to stand but only one could manage it. The injured man removed his helmet and fell back against a tree as his colleague ran. Blood flowed from his mouth as he coughed and spluttered into his gloved hand before begging the Jedi to kill him.

"Please, end this. Please...end it," the man spluttered.

The Jedi paused for a moment before igniting his lightsaber and taking the man's life. Lowering his head he turned slowly back to Alarah.

"We must leave. They know you are here. They will send more,"

"I didn't mean to...I just...it just..." Alarah struggled to her feet looking at the dead men around her.

"They would have certainly killed you if you had not shattered the rock," he said matter of factly.

"Jedi are not supposed to kill!" she cried.

He lowered his gaze and took a breath. "Take your weapon," he handed her the black Lightsaber. "We need to go now."

* * *

The night was long and cold. It had been quite some time since Luke had visited this place; almost 10 years. The last time he had been here he had lost a friend and tutor. Now _he_ was the tutor. How things had changed since Master Yoda's passing. A new enemy had raised it's head and peace within the galaxy seemed further away than ever before. New weapons had been used against innocent planets causing so much death and pain that many free civilisations had willingly surrendered themselves thus creating a new 'Empire'.

Listening to the screeches and yowls of distant wildlife he leaned back against the cave wall and watched Alarah sleep. He remembered her though he knew she did not remember him. She had been little more than a child when he had carried her from the burning wreckage of her village and taken her to the New Order.

He watched as she moved restlessly before turning away from him. Her memories haunted her and he knew why. He had seen the hatred fuelling the fire of civil war on her planet first hand and had tried to stop it before it truly took hold. He had been too late to stop the war but he had managed to salvage something from the mission. He had found _her_. The Force had shown her to him, shining like a beacon in the darkness.

Keeping her hidden for so long had been difficult and many Rebels and new Jedi alike had died keeping her location a secret. Of course her lack of enthusiasm to use The Force had helped somewhat but her creation of a second black-bladed Lightsaber had sent ripples through the galaxy. The news had travelled quickly across space and now 'They' were coming for her. He was unsure how the information had fallen into the hands of the Mandelorians but in doing so 'They' had discovered her location on Yavin 4 and had used the Mandelorian assault to mask their own attack on the moon.

'They' had been waiting. 'They' had been biding their time so that when the opportunity came their troopers would be ready. Their troopers were ready now. She was not.

Staring at the ceiling Luke ran over the earlier confrontation in his mind. It was always going to be just a matter of time before they found them here on Dagobah but he had wrongly assumed that he would have had longer to train her. He replayed her interaction with the troops. Perhaps he had been wrong to push her to defend herself but he had needed to see that she still had the will to survive. She had spent so long trying to close herself off from The Force that she had become accustomed to doing nothing and her sheltered life at the Praxeum had done little to counter that. Her tutors had done very little to push her. They had not dared. Today had been the first time in years that she had been pushed into a situation that she could not escape from and he had seen exactly what she was afraid of. She was afraid of losing control. Now he had to teach her how to control not only The Force but herself also. The shattering of the boulder had not been intentional and he knew the repercussions would lay heavily on her spirit for some time. He needed her to accept that she had no choice and that it was self defence. He needed her to see that The Force was not be feared but that it could be harnessed effectively. She had to learn quickly and he had to teach her well, if he failed there was no telling the devastation her abilities may cause.

* * *

"Wake up,"

Alarah rose with a start, "What's wrong?"

"Come with me," he led her out into the half-light of dawn.

It was suprisingly quiet as they made their way through the thick jungle and they travelled for some time before he stopped a little way ahead of her.

"What is this place?" she took a moment to survey their surroundings. The trees were more dense here and the undergrowth less boggy. Huge rocks sprouted from the mossy floor and she noted that directly in front of her companion was a narrow entrance to a well hidden cave. Was this a new hiding place from them?

"No," he answered as though he had read her mind. He turned to face her as she approached him. "I cannot go with you from here. You must enter this cave alone."

"Where will you be?"

"Here," he motioned a fallen tree beside him. He glanced at the black saber hilt hanging from her waist, Yoda's words ringing in his ears. "You will not need your weapon."

"Ok," she hesitated before unhooking the Lightsaber and handing it to him. "What is in there?"

He paused, remembering his own experience with the Darkside within the cave. He was unsure whether she was truly ready to face this side of The Force but he had no time to waste preparing her as Yoda had tried to prepare him. He knew within himself that she had the potential to become a formidable Jedi and he saw great things in the future with her at his side but for the moment he was preoccupied with keeping her alive...and safe. One trooper had escaped their encounter the previous day and Luke was sure that he would return with more troops. Not only did he know her location but he also knew that she was with him, 'They' would panic. Not only was she the one 'They' had been searching for since before the civil war on Besthra but she had already fulfilled one prophecy regarding the Darksaber thus attracting the attention of the Mandelorians. Her fulfilment of _that_ prophecy had not been seen and had sent shock waves throughout the galaxy. As Luke looked at her here in the dappled light beneath the vines and moss he found it hard to lie to her. As much as he needed her to learn he could not bring himself to tell her the things which Yoda had told him years ago. If she knew the cave was a place of evil as Yoda had described her fear would be too great. She needed to be calm.

"A wise Master once told me that the only things that reside in the cave are those things which you take with you. You must clear your mind before you can truly search for answers. The Force is very powerful here. Do not allow your fear to compromise your position. Alarah, you have the power to do anything. The Force cannot control you. _You must control The Force,_ "

He watched as she turned away and disappeared from his sight. Sitting on the log he waited listening for her return. No matter what she experienced in the cave he knew he could not change any of it, nor could he help her. It was entirely her journey to make.

Once inside the cave Alarah felt incredibly cold. She felt alone. She knew her tutor was outside but it almost felt as though he was a million miles away. The air was thicker in here. The scent of damp moss and mud filled her nostrils as she made her way further in. After some distance the pathway came to a sheer rock face. She saw no way to proceed except a small hole in the ground to her left. Bracing herself she dropped down into a smaller cave. The walls were slick with water and vines snaked through the crevices down into the chamber. There was little light down here but her eyes were made for this environment and she continued quickly. Cautiously looking about her she passed through what appeared to be an engineered doorway. It was strangely uniform in shape against the rocky surroundings of the cave. She passed through another doorway and came out into a large cavern with a deep pool of water. The water was bright blue to her eyes as she made her way to the edge. The temperature had dropped significantly and the hairs on her skin pricked up sending an icy shiver through her body. Strange noises echoed through the cavern as she stood examining the darkness. She was alone save for some reptilian life forms scuttling across the rocks. The echoes grew in volume and as she knelt at the edge of the pool and trailed her fingers in the cold water a sudden wind blew through her. With the wind came a soft voice, it almost sounded as though it was singing.

"Hello?" Alarah sat up and dried her hands on her thighs.

"Alaaaaarahhhhh," the voice breathed in her ear.

She turned quickly to see nobody beside her.

"Alaraaaahhhhh," it was louder now.

"I hear you, where are you?"

Silence.

"Come to me," the voice called from the centre of the pool. "Come to me and I shall show you the wonders of The Force."

Alarah could see nobody but stepped forwards. As her boot slipped beneath the water she felt a sudden pressure in her chest pulling her backwards, back towards the way she had come. Ignoring the discomfort she took another step.

"Come my child, come to me and learn everything I have to teach," the voice was no longer soft and gentle, instead it was low and rumbling. When it spoke she no longer heard it with her ears, she felt in in her being. It was part of her, it moved within her. "You have unparalleled power. Come to me and learn the ways of the ancestors. Give yourself to me and I shall give you power over life itself. Come to me..."

As the voice spoke she saw her family. They were alive. Her brother was running and laughing. He was happy. They were happy. She felt happy. She saw their faces welcoming her with bright smiles and bright eyes in the darkness. Her heart was full with love.

"Come to the Dark Side,"

Their faces faded and their bodies turned to ash as the love in her heart turned sour. Her lilac eyes burned with tears and she backed out of the water.

"No," she breathed. "No...I can't. They're dead. They're DEAD!"

Suddenly her being was consumed by fear as she felt the cold seep into her bones. This place was filled with evil and it was calling to her. It was making promises, tempting promises. Her throat was dry and she couldn't swallow. She thought of the Jedi sitting outside waiting for her. Did he know this was down here? Had he seen the same thing when he had come here with his Master? Why had he not told her this place was filled with evil? Images flashed in her mind: her mother, her father, her brother, her companion, her brother again, bodies burning in the desert sun, her companion, her mother, a space station exploding and with it the cries of thousands of people as their lives ended, her companion yet again, a pilot, her companion, the green blade of the Jedi's Lightsaber, Darth Vader and finally her own face wildly distorted and devoid of feeling. Her lilac eyes were colourless and sunken. The sight of her own face startled her and she fell backwards hitting her head as she tumbled across the rocks. Landing crumpled on the floor she pressed her palm to her head, blood seeping through her fingers and staining her ashen hair. Again the image of Vader flashed into her mind followed by the lingering image of dead children. She was seeing the birth of Vader at the execution of Order 66, something she had only ever heard about in stories.

"I don't want this! I don't want this!" she screamed until her lungs ached. "I don't want to see this. I don't want this! I am not Vader! I don't want to be another Vader! I'M NOT VADER!"

The last thing she saw before she blacked out was the face of her tutor as he lifted her from the floor and carried her outside. As he stepped out into the jungle she felt The Force flow through her setting her nerves on fire. She looked at his face, his blue eyes staring straight ahead. The image of Darth Vader faded and she saw only him as the words, "I am a Jedi, like my Father before me," rang in her ears. She knew those words.

"You never told me your name Master," Alarah croaked.

He looked down at her and smiled, "My name is Luke."

She paused. "Skywa…?" her words trailed off as she lost consciousness.


End file.
